The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum built by Shah Jahan, emperor during the Mughal empire's greatest prosperity. It was build in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died during the birth of their fourteenth child. The Taj Mahal is considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Persian, Ottoman, Indian and Islamic architectural styles. Building of the Taj Mahal began around 1632 and was completed around 1653, it employed more than 20,000 thousand laborers for 20 years.
While the white domed marble mausoleum is its most familiar component, the Taj Mahal is actually an intergrated complex of structures. The complex is set around a large 300 meter square Mughal garden. The garden uses raised pathways that divide each of the four quarters of the garden into 16 sunken flowerbeds. A raised marble water tank at the center of the garden, halfway between the tomb and the gateway with a reflecting pool on a north-south axis, reflects the image of the mausoleum.
Known for its symmetry, the Taj Mahal sits on a raised platform surrounded by four minarets. The marble dome that surmounts the tomb has a height of around 35 meters. Inside are delicate mosaic works and marble walls adorned with intricate patterns of inlaid precious stones. The minarets, which are each more than 40 meters high, display the designer's penchant for symmetry.
The Taj Mahal attracts from 2-4 million visitors annually, many of them from overseas. The grounds are open from 6 am to 7 pm weekdays, except Friday when the complex is open for prayers at the mosque between 12 pm and 2 pm. The complex is also open for night viewing on the day of the full moon and two days before and after, excluding Fridays and the month of Ramzan. Many visitors want to visit Taj Mahal several times at different times of the day, due to the change in colors at different lights. For security reasons only five items are allowed inside the Taj Mahal: water in transparent bottles; small video cameras; still cameras; mobile phones and a small ladie's purse.
